acton



(No Model.)

J. ACTON. PRESSURE REGULATOR.

Patented May No. 497,2 g5

n1: NORRIS PETERS co mo'rou'mo, WASHINGTON. o. A:

UNITED STATES PATENT Q EICE.

JOHN ACTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PRESSURE-REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.497,295, dated May 16, 1893.

Application filed August 13, 1892. Serial No. 443,024. (No model- To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN ACTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements in Pressure-Regulators; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to pressure regulators adapted for controlling the pressure of fluids, such as steam, water and gas; and it consists of the combination, construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated different embodiments of my invention for service under different conditions, and for use in connection with difierent fluids to regulate the pressure thereof, and in which- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of my regulator adapted for hydraulic elevators,

and Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the improved form of balanced valve used in this kind of regulator. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, partly in elevation and section, of a regulator designed for service in connection with electric-lighting stations Where a uniform steady pressure is necessary. Fig. 4: is a sectional View through my regulator for Water-service pipes.

Like letters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

A designates the valve arranged within a shell B and adapted to be seated on the seats I), 19, therein. Said. valve shell is provided with the usual inlet and outlet necks 1), 19 to which are coupled the pipes C, C, for conveying the fluid to and from the valve-shell, as is customary.

The valve plays or moves vertically in the shell, and it has a vertical stem a which passes through a stuffing box a in the head of said shell; and the upper end of said valve stem is connected to a horizontal leverl) which, in connection with the connecting rod E and the diaphragm lever F provides a parallel compound movement for quickly moving the valve on a slow movement of the diaphragm G. This diaphragm G has a lining or layer inclosing shell has its upper part contracted in diameter; and in said upper section of the diaphragm shell h are arranged the devices by which the movement of the diaphragm is transmitted to the lever E and also to control the tension on the diaphragm. These devices comprise the follower i, the stem j, the spring and the hollow screw Z. The follower t has an enlarged flat base which rests directly on the upper side of the flexible diaphragm, and

said follower also has a hollow stud or boss on the upper side of the base, in which stud is stepped the lower end. of the vertical stem j. This boss or stud of the follower also receives the lower part of the coiled tension spring 70, so that it serves to prevent displacement of the lower ends of the stem and spring; and said stem passes through the coiled spring and the hollow screw to enable its upper protruding end to be pivotally connected to the lever F, at j. The screw Zis externally threaded to enable it to be screwed into the upper closed end of the diaphragm shell, and at its lower end, within the shell h, said screw is provided with an enlarged foot against which bears the upper end of the coiled tension spring, whereby the spring is confined between the diaphragm follower and the hollow screw and the latter is enabled to be easily turned at any time to hold the spring and diaphragm under the required or any desired tension, although after the tension has once been adjusted it may not be necessary to change the same. This screw has a longitudinal passage through it of sufficient size to permit the stemj to pass freely through the same and to serve as a guide for said stem, and the hollow screw is thus left open so that the entire upper part of the diaphragm chamber, above the diaphragm, is open to the atmosphere to insure the free working of the diaphragm.

In the regulator shown by Figs. 1 and 2, which is especially adapted for use on hydraulic elevators, fire pumps and like machinery for hydraulic power, it is essential that the valve shall have a very quick movement on a comparatively slow movement of the diaphragm; and to effect this necessary movement of the parts I have devised the following improvements:a compound parallel lever movement by which the valve is caused to have a movement sixteen (16) times greater than that of the diaphragm, the upper lever F is fulcrumed to an oscillating or movable support by which the latter is held in parallelism with the stemj of the diaphragm, and the balanced valve is constructed to receive a plunger or plug which is fitted steam tight in a chamber in the lower part of the stem of said valve, the fluid in the pipe 0 having free access to said chamber in the valve stem so that as the valve is raised by the spring H on a decrease in the pressure in the pipe C and on the diaphragm G, and as the valve begins its ascent, due to the tension of the spring and the leverage of the connections between the diaphragm-follower and the balanced valve, the fluid entering the chamber in the valve stem acts with increased force between the plunger or plug and the head of the chamber so that the increased fluid pressure on the head of the chamber in the valve stem assists the tension spring and levers in giving to the valve a quick upward movement to open the valve when the pressure is lowered in the pipe 0 and against the diaphragm G. The lever F has its inner end fulcrumed, at f, to a vertical arm or support F which is arranged alongside of and close to the hollow screw Z, and this support is pivotally connected, at f, to the top of the diaphragm shell 71; thus the support is free to move a limited distance and at the same time afford the necessary fulcrum for the lever. The lower or valve lever D is fulcrumed at an intermediate point of its length to a vertical lug d which is carried by a horizontal stationary arm d rigid with the valve shell; and the inner end of said lever D is pivoted to the upper end of the valve rod while its outer end is pivoted to the lower end of the vertical connecting rod E.

The lower end of the stem of the balanced valve is extended nearly to the bottom of the valve-shell, and in this lower part of the valve-stem is provided a longitudinal chamberm which opens at its lower part through the lower extremity of said stem and which terminates in a head m" at its upper end, said head lyingat a point between the flanged disks of the balanced valve, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. The upper end of this chamber communicates with the chamber in the valve shell and with the pipe 0' through a transverse horizontal port m formed in the valve-stein at a point between the flanged valve-disks, so that the fluid in the valve shell and the pipe 0' is free to enter the upperpart of this chamber m in the valve stem. In the lower part of this chamber m is arranged a solid plunger or plug M which is fitted steam or fluid tight against the walls of the chamber, and this plug protrudes or extends below the valve stem a suflicient distance to always rest on the bottom of the valve shell, While its upper part is always contained within the chamber of the valve stem as said plug or plunger is made sufficiently long to accommodate the vertical movement or play of the balanced valve. This plug or plunger thus remains at rest or stationary while the valve stem is free to play vertically thereon as the valve is raised or lowered. The plugor plunger being stationary on the bottom of the valve shell and subjected at its upper end to the pressure of the fluid in the valve shell and the pipe 0', thebalanced valve is maintained at the proper position by the tension spring and lever connections to permit the proper quantity of fluid to pass from the pipe 0 through the valve and into the pipe 0 to maintain the fluid in the latter under the desired pressure, the pressure against the diaphragm G being also of the proper degree. \Vhen the pressure of fluid against the diaphragm G is lowered from any cause, the spring immediately moves the diaphragm follower to actuate the levers to raise the balanced valve, and during the initial upward start of the valve area of the chamber m between its head and the upper end of the plug or plunger is increased so that the fluid therein acts with greater force and assists the spring and lever in giving to the valve a quick ascent on the decrease in pressure of the fluid against the diaphragm. As the valve is thus quickly opened, the fluid passes freely through the valve from the pipe 0' to the pipe C until the pressure is again restored so that the fluid pressure against the diaphragm is brought to its normal point, and then the spring is compressed and the levers operated to lower the balanced valve to its former position.

To enable the valve to be adjusted verti cally Without adjusting the diaphragm or varying the tension thereon, and thereby vary the area of the opening for the passage of steam or fluid through the valve, I make the rod E adjustable so it can be lengthened or shortened between the levers D, F. The rod is made in two sections, having their adjacent ends provided with right and left hand screw threads; and said threaded ends are coupled by an internally threaded sleeve E that can be turned axially to extend or contract the sections of the rod E, as is obvious.

The fluid which it is desired to maintain under pressure is admitted to the lower part of the diaphragm chamber by means of the pipe N which leads from a suitable part of the hydraulic apparatus and is connected to the lower section of the diaphragm shell It so in motion. Any variation in the pressure on the diaphragm will cause the latter to move and thus operate the compound lever move ment to raise the valve on a decreased pressure and lower the valve on an increased pressure. I

In Fig. 3 of the drawings I illustrate another embodiment of my invention especially designed for service at electric light stations where a steady uniform motion is required. The regulator is of the same general form as that shown in Fig. 1, butthe diaphragm chamber is below the valve shell and cross heads connected by parallel vertical rods are employed in lieu of the compound lever movement.

The valve rod has its threaded stem passed through the upper cross head 0, and provided with adjusting nuts 0, 0, and the diaphragm stem passes through the hollow screw Z and has a threaded lower end passed through the lower yoke P and provided with similar adjusting nuts 10, 19, said cross heads being connected by the parallel vertical rods Q, Q,which hold the two cross heads parallel with each other. This construction enables the valve to be adjusted without affecting the tension on the diaphragm by turning either set of nuts 0, 0, or p, p, and also imparts a steady uniform motion to the valve on a variation in pressure of thefluid on the diaphragm. The hollow screw is provided at its lower end with a hand wheel or equivalent means for readily adjusting the same to vary the spring tension or pressure on the diaphragm. The fluid enters the diaphragm chamber G through a valved pipe G, one end of which is connected to said chamber G and the other end to the pipe 0, as shown.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings is shown another modification of the regulator especially adapted for water-service pipes. The regulator is carried by a supporting plate R which is mounted and secured on the top of the valve shell; said regulator lying at one side of the valve. The shell of the regulator contains the usual diaphragm, to the lower side of which water is admitted by the port r and suitable pipe connections; the follower, the spring, the screw and the stem. The stem is connected to the lever F fulcrumed at one end to the pivoted support F; and to the other end of said lever is connected the rod E which in turn pivots to the lower lever D, fulcrumed on an arm on the valve shell and connected at its inner end to the valve rod.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a pressure regulator, the combination with a valve shell, of a valve having its stem provided with a longitudinal chamber and a transverse port, a plunger or plug fitted in said chamber of the valve stem, av diaphragm chamber containing a diaphragm, a stem arranged to be moved endwise by said diaphragm, and connections between said stem and the balanced valve, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a pressure regulator, the combination with a valve-chamber, of the balanced valve having its vertical stem provided with the longitudinal chamber m and the transverse port m, the stationary plunger or plug M fitted in said chamber below the port m and protruding fronrthe lower end of said valve stem, a separate diaphragm chamber, a spring pressed diaphragm confined in the diaphragm chamber, an endwise movable stem connected with said diaphragm, and the parallel connections connected respectively to the endwise movable stem and the balanced valve, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a pressure regulator, the combination of a valve shell, a balanced valve operating therein, a separate diaphragm chamber having a diaphragm and the fluid-inlet at one side of said diaphragm, the threaded hollow guide Z adjustable in the closed end of the diaphragm chamber, the follower Q1 bearing against the diaphragm, the stem j stepped in the follower and passing freely through the hollow guide, the spring confined between the follower and the adjustable guide, the lever F connected to the outer end of the stem, another lever D connected to the stem of the balanced valve, and the link E connecting the free ends of the levers D, F, substantially as described.

4. In a pressure regulator, the combination with a balanced valve, and a diaphragm chamber having a spring pressed diaphragm. and the stem, of the support F pivoted to the diaphragm shell, a lever F fulcrumed at one end on said pivoted support and having the outer end of the stem pivotally connected thereto near its fulcrum,theleverD fulcrumed to the arm d, and pivoted at one end to the balanced valve, and the sectional link E pivoted respectively to the levers D, F, and having its members adj ustably connected by the rotatable coupling sleeve, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a pressure regulator, a valve shell having the top R extended to one side of the valve in said shell and carrying the upper diaphragm chamberwhich is mounted directly on the top R at one side of the balanced valve and provided in its bottom with the inlet opening which registers with a similar opening in said top R, combined with a balanced valve fitted in the valve shell, the spring-pressed diaphragm confined in the diaphragm chamber and having the stem, the pivoted link F on the diaphragm shell, the lever F fulcrumed at its inner end on the pivoted link and hav- In testimony whereof I'attix my signature in ing the stem pivoted thereto near its fulcrum, presence of two witnesses. the lever D fulerurned at an intermediate point of its length to the arm d and pivoted JOHN ACTON. 5 at one end to the balanced valve, and the adjustable link E pivoted respectively to the Witnesses: free ends of the levers D, F, substantially as CHARLES J. HARDY, described. HENRY C. IRONS. 

